


When We Were Young

by trickytrinket



Series: Never Let Us Go [1]
Category: British Actor RPF, Real Person Fiction, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Almost Kiss, Christmas, Christmas Dinner, F/M, Feels, Friendship, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-29
Updated: 2015-12-29
Packaged: 2018-05-10 05:19:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5572438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trickytrinket/pseuds/trickytrinket
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elli and Tom celebrated Christmas together in 2008 as both discovered their feeling towards one another.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When We Were Young

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Adele's song, When We Were Young. There’s a lot of feels in this one. You’ve been warned. Enjoy ;D

 

Spending part of her childhood and most of her teenage year in Germany, moving back to London was not an easy part for Elli. Back in Berlin, her mother’s hometown, Christmas was something they always looked forward to. It was the day when the whole family would come together in her grandparent’s house to have their traditional Christmas dinner which was filled with joy and warmth. But here in London was such a striking difference to what they had back in Germany – to put it mildly. So, she was eternally grateful when Amy initiated the whole Christmas celebration with her new husband and their friends. It was not much, just a dinner at Elli’s place to keep the Grinch away from Aunt Heidi and her daughter, Amy told her.

“How’s married life treating you, Amy? I hope it’s good,” Heidi struck up a conversation while the ladies were gathering around the living room.

“Oh. It’s wonderful, Aunt Heidi. Although there are time when I want to kick Nick out of the house because he’s too busy composing while I’m reviewing my papers.”

“Why don’t you do it at your office then?” Even with her job as a peer reviewer for one of the leading scientific publication, Amy rarely did her work at home. She preferred to work in her office, with an unlimited access to their library.

Nick interjected, “Don’t listen to her. She has been working at home lately and it’s getting on her nerves. Her hormones are off the chart,” Nick planted a kiss on Amy’s cheek, causing Amy to scold him for breaking the news a little too soon to her aunt and cousin.

“Nicholas!”

“Oops. Sorry, love! Can’t help it,” Nick replied, disappearing into the kitchen.

Now Amy was left under the mercy of her cousin and her aunt. Again, Heidi was the first to break the silence.

“I believe you haven’t told your parents either, Amy?”

“Aunt Heidi, please don’t tell my mum or your brother about this! We are planning to share this news with them on Christmas day.”

“Your secret is safe with me. Congratulations, darling! I hope the morning sickness isn’t that horrible.”

“Not really. But I can’t stand the smell of bacon and scrambled egg during my first trimester. “

“So, is it not a shotgun wedding then?” Elli snickered.

“No, it is not, Ells. In fact, I’m about to enter my 15th week. This coat helped to hide the growing bump,” Amy ran her hand over her belly. It was obvious now that it’s nurturing another human being.

“I’m thrilled for both of you, Amy!” Elli beamed, clapping her hands like an over excited seal.

“Of course you have to be excited! I expect a shit load of present from you.”

“Absolutely. I’ll shower my first nephew or niece, probably both or more than one, with presents!”

Amy clucked her tongue, her hand rested gently on the top of her belly, “I assure you it’s going to be either a nephew or a niece. I can feel it.”

Amy scooted closer to her aunt, eager to hear her share some pregnancy tips with her when suddenly a smooth melodic voice joined the conversation, “You can feel what, Amy?”

Elli whirled her head around to check who this last addition to their dinner is. Too fast that she afraid she might get a whiplash from it, “Tom!”

“You are late, Thomas!” Heidi chided him but Tom being a charmer that he is, made his way to Heidi and swiftly kissed the older woman’s cheek.

“It’s a bit cold, isn’t it, Heidi? How do you do?” Tom said after he pulled away from the kiss, flashing his boyish grin.

“I am good, Tom. Diana said you have been busy.”

“I’m finishing my show at Donmar hence the lateness - in which I am terribly sorry,” He apologized then looked at the three ladies expectantly, waiting for any of them to invite him to join their conversation. But they were not saying a thing, so Tom asked them one more time, “Now what did I miss?”

Seeing how her mother and Amy were not going to let Tom to this news, Elli sighed, “Your friends are going to be parents in five months.”

“Jesus! Is it true? Nick is going to be a father? Can you imagine the life that child is going to have?” Tom glanced at Elli, the latter had to stifle her giggle.

Glaring, Amy warned the thespian, “Watch your mouth, Hiddleston!”

But it was not enough to scare him, instead Tom replied in mock surrender, “Oooh the mother is getting territorial already. I’m scared.”

His act caused the room to erupt into laughter while Amy cursed under her breath, causing them to laugh even louder. Elli decided to take control of the situation by dragging Tom to the kitchen. That man was running late and must be starving already.

As soon as they entered the kitchen, Tom spotted Nick and gave him a manly hug, clapping his back, “I believe congratulations is in order. You are going to be father, Greenhow!”  
Extracting himself from the hug, appearing to be in dazed, Adrian staggered backward, “Now that you said that, it does feel a little surreal.”  
“You are not having a cold feet now, aren’t you?” Seemed ridiculous to Elli, knowing that musician had performed at Royal Albert Hall among other places and he planned his wedding in less than five months.  
“Of course not. It’s just after months keeping this news to ourselves and now you, your mother, and Tom know about it. Then soon the whole family will.”  
“Do you want me to slap you or Tom to punch you? Maybe then you’ll get a better understanding.”  
“No, no. Actually, I’m about to leave and rejoin those two in the living room. Enjoy the leftovers, Thomas. We will hit the pub after Christmas then,” Nick excused himself, sauntering his way back to the living room to be by his wife’s side.

With Nick’s return to the living room, that’s left Elli and Tom in her kitchen. Standing on her tiptoe, Elli grabbed a plate for Tom.

“Potato salad? Roast pork? There’s nothing much left.”

“It’s okay. I’ve had my dinner on my way here because I know I will be late anyway. We can have a drink. What do you have here?” Tom turned to the cabinet behind him, rummaging through it, searching for a drink to be shared with his childhood friend.

“Aha! Gluhwein - just like a true German,” He returned with a still bottle full of traditional mulled wine on his right hand and two empty glasses on his other hand.

Elli snatched the bottle from him, pouring its content to the glasses. Handing Tom one of it, she hop onto the kitchen counter before swigged a mouthful of her drink with relish.

“Donmar is terrific, Tom. Sorry I didn’t get the chance to see the show.”  
Tom joined her to sit on the counter, “It’s okay, Ells. I understand that you’ve been busy. How’s your mum?”

He must have talked with his mother. Sometimes Elli overheard her mother talking with Diana on the phone, “She’s been good. She told me not to worry - as usual. Telling me it’s just the exhaustion.”

“And you believe her?”

“As long as it makes her happy then I am not complaining. On a different note, I’ve been reading good words about your performance in everything. From Cymbeline to Ivanov,”

“I see that you have been keeping tabs on me, Ells.”

Elli snorted, kicking his leg in a teasing manner, “I am probably your oldest friend, Tom. Might as well be your first fan and your first stalker.”

“You’ll never forget your first,” Tom smiled fondly.

A bit shocked with his words, Elli gave him a weak nod, “That’s what they said.”

“How are you, Ells?” Tom turned his head. His eyes bore into hers, seeking for the truth.

Tom always had that commanding presence and having known him since her childhood didn’t make it any easier for Elli to resist it, “Not too shabby. Life’s been kind to me. I’ve been promoted last month so things are finally kicking off.”

“Haven’t met anyone famous though,” Elli nudged his shoulder, teasing him.

“You never know, Ells,” Tom mumbled. He averted his gaze to the window as if it was another beautiful Christmas ornament.

Elli was no fool. After all these years, she was still able to read him well, “Are you hiding something from me, Thomas?”

“Probably. Let’s just say I am auditioning for an upcoming superhero movie.”

“Wow, that’s huge, Tom. That would change your life.”

“I know, my agent basically said the same thing to me. Now, can we please keep this between us until I got the call back?”

“You have my words.”

And just like that, they shared another pinky promise. Something they always did ever since they were just no more than two kids who loved to run away from the harsh reality of life.

Both were silent as Elli leaned her head on Tom’s shoulder. They took comfort in each other’s presence. It’s always been like this – the two of them to be close with each other. Words were no longer needed.

Minutes passed between them. Tom and Elli have finished their drink. All that’s left was a distant laughter from the living room.

Neither of them spoke until Tom tilted and lowered his head making their nose almost touching. Elli’s breath hitched, she braved herself to gaze at him.

What is this? Why are you doing this? Our friends and my mother are just next door. Those were only some of the questions inside her head and none was spoken. Instead, all she could manage to say was his name.

“Tom.”

“Ells,” Tom breathed out. The unmistakable sweetness from the mulled wine they had earlier reached her nostrils. Elli was petrified with the closeness of his commanding presence. She almost let Tom to kiss her if she didn’t hear those footsteps approaching them that brought her out of her reverie.

In her panic state, Elli jumped off the kitchen counter. Running her hand over her jumper, fixing the non-existent wrinkle, she intended to avoid the questioning look from her friends and mother.

“Oi, you two! We are leaving. Tom, are you driving? Or do you want me to drop you by your house?” It was Nick and he appeared to be totally oblivious to what almost happened between his friends.

Tom cleared his throat, “That would be nice.”

Tom’s husky voice caused Nick to raise his brow. He eyed Elli, questioning her in silence but the girl just ignored him. Nick decided not to press her further. He left the kitchen with Elli and Tom in tow.

At the front door, they exchanged their holiday wishes. And Tom, after everything he had done, still had the decency to hug Elli and whispered happy holidays to her. Sure, it was all just an act because if they acted cold toward one another, her mother would bombard her with questions. As soon as they had left and she found herself inside her bedroom, Elli leaned against her door. She was flushed and no it wasn’t because of the cold. It all makes sense now. There’s only one thought inside her head now as a lone tear rolled down her cheek. That night she realised that she wished to be more than just that Tom’s best friend from childhood. Alas, she was sure not even Father Christmas could grant her wish.


End file.
